Karnataka Minister Madhu Bangarappa.
Credit: DH File Photo
Bengaluru: Not Completed (NC)’: These words will greet PUC II and SSLC students when they download their digital marks sheets after having failed in their first exam, instead of the demoralising ‘Fail’.
The department of school education and literacy has opted for the move as students have two more opportunities to clear the exams under the three-exam system. So until exam 2 and 3 are over, the digital marks sheets will display ‘Not Completed’, as PUC II students who didn’t clear exam 1 are currently finding out.
The Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board (KSEAB) took the measure following instructions from the department. Though the three- exam pattern was introduced during the March/April 2024 exams, the 2024 marks sheets still came with ‘pass’ and ‘fail’.
Talking about the thought process behind the idea, Minister for School Education and Literacy Madhu Bangarappa said, “We are not here to shatter the future or dreams of children by telling them they have failed. The word ‘fail’ itself is so disappointing. The whole idea behind the introduction of three exams was to boost their confidence.”
The minister said “the examination process is incomplete” until all the three exams are conducted and results are published.
“Hence, this year, I discussed with officials and took a decision in the interest of students to call it ‘NC’ for those who failed in examination 1. If they cannot clear the course even in exam 2 and 3, we can call them fail,” he said.
The same will be followed even for SSLC results, the minister added.
For the PUC 2 exam 1, a total of 6,88,678 students appeared, of which 4,76,256 were able to clear the exams. For those who were unable to clear, the board has already announced the time table for exam 2 and 3.
As per the data available from the board, of the 1,69,353 candidates who were unable to clear exam 1, 92.4% have enrolled for exam 2. The exam 2 is scheduled to be held between April 24 to May 8.
The board has also said that the results of the exam 2 will be announced even before KCET results to help students to take part in the KCET first round counseling. As explained by officials, around 70,000 students have registered for exam 2 to improve their scores.
Bangalore University was the first to do away with the concept of ‘Fail’ by introducing ‘NC’ in undergraduate exams.
Quote - We are not here to shatter the future or dreams of children by telling them they have failed. The word 'fail' itself is so disappointing. The whole idea behind the introduction of three exams was to boost their confidence - Madhu Bangarappa Minister for School Education and Literacy